The emission reductions from the mitigation activity can be divided into two categories. Approximately 60% stem from the reduction of methane emissions. Most dairy cows are kept in barns and small yards, where they can have access to water, feed, and shade. To ensure hygienic conditions for milk production, the manure is daily scraped and collected in pits or lagoons. As the manure decomposes, it generates methane (CH₄), a greenhouse gas around 28 times more harmful to the climate than carbon dioxide (CO₂). Because the methane is captured in the biogas digester and destroyed completely through combustion in the stove, the activity prevents these methane emissions from being released into the atmosphere. The remaining 40% of the emission reductions are related to the clean cooking component of the activity. Most households in Malawi rely on firewood or charcoal for cooking purposes, leading to higher deforestation rates. Replacing unsustainable wood fuels with biogas produced in the digesters reduces the burning of biomass, which directly corresponds to a decrease in greenhouse gas emissions.

The biodigester solution is delivered in a turnkey package that includes a biogas stove, a biofertilizer management system, and a comprehensive technical training, troubleshooting and monitoring programme.

This mitigation activity offers multiple co-benefits to farmers, enabling them to implement an effective manure management system by storing manure in a designated location, thus reducing soil and water contamination. By using clean biogas, households can decrease their reliance on biomass for cooking, allowing women responsible for procuring cooking fuels to spend less time and money.

Additionally, it eliminates exposure to indoor smoke and toxic fumes. While easy to install and use, the high-efficiency biodigesters become a permanent fixture on the farm. Moreover, the organic fertilizer produced as a by-product of biodigesters boosts farmers’ yields, resulting in higher income and reduced expenses for synthetic fertilizers, while also facilitating a smooth transition to regenerative agriculture.

The mitigation activity is additional to Malawi’s Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC). Financial support, technology supply and know-how transfer make this programme a valuable greenhouse gas mitigation activity for most households in rural parts of Malawi.